WBENC is proud to celebrate and honor Black History Month by recognizing the expansive and pivotal impact black women have had throughout the course of history on a national and worldwide scale. We consistently advocate for our black Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs); in return, these trendsetters, trailblazers, innovators, and entrepreneurs perpetually inspire and invigorate our network.
Throughout our nation’s history, black women have caused profound impact and historical change. Trailblazing heroes like Madam C.J. Walker, the first recorded female self-made millionaire in the United States; Phillis Wheatley, the first published black female poet, and athlete Wilma Rudolph who overcame polio, racism, and sexism to become the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games. These women and countless other black women broke barriers and succeeded against all odds to open opportunities and make way for the generations of women that follow them.
Today WBENC plays a part in supporting the growth and development of today’s powerful black women WBEs and future WBEs in many ways. Stay tuned throughout 2023 and at the WBENC National Conference to hear more about all the ways that the WBENC Women of Color program, presented by Founding Program sponsors Altria, Bristol Myers Squibb, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Southern California Edison, and Walmart Inc., and supported by Allstate, GSK, Marriott, McKinsey & Co, and Verizon supports Women of Color entrepreneurs in the network with sessions focused on community building, market access, resources, human capital, innovation, policy, and capital.
Making An Impact
WBENC aims to create an all-inclusive environment, constantly encouraging women from all walks of life to participate and engage within our network. Amid our initiative to continually build diversity throughout our network, we highlight our outreach program, ‘Women of Color‘, established to create multi-tiered programming to aid Women of Color entrepreneurs in increasing their competitive advantage and capacity for inclusion in corporate supply chains.
As an outreach and development program, Women of Color is open to both WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprises and those not yet certified. Our mission is to strengthen an eco-system designed to engage, advise, retain, and drive growth forward for Women of Color entrepreneurs and we thank our WOC founding sponsors for helping us bring this mission to life.
In 2022, the Women of Color Program made an impact by hosting meaningful virtual and in-person events in addition to providing resources that extended outside of Women of Color sessions.
Learn more about the Women of Color Program.
Interactive Events Encouraging the Next Generation of Black WBEs
The WBENC Women of Color Incubator is a premier program designed for Black female student entrepreneurs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This incubator provides the next generation of Black women entrepreneurs with the resources, community, and support they need to strengthen their idea and grow their early-stage ventures. The program culminates with a pitch competition where all WBENC WOC Incubator participants demo their business products or services for the opportunity to compete for $9,000 in seed funding.
Learn more about The Women of Color Incubator.
Looking ahead to 2023, we are excited to share an upcoming exclusive event as part of our ongoing commitment to our Women of Color WBEs.
LIVE at the 2023 WBENC National Conference
Women of Color: How to Monetize Your Network
Date/Time: Monday, March 20 from 1 – 3 PM CT
Location: In person, Nashville, TN | Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Address: 2800 Opryland Dr, Nashville, TN 37214
Room: Ryman Ballroom
Speaker: Bofta Yimam, Emmy® & Edward R. Murrow Award-Winning Journalist
Session Description
Networking is the process of making connections and building relationships. When you build relationships the right way, with the right people, and at the right time, you can unlock opportunities that propel your business to a new level of growth. Join us to receive hands-on training on how to establish meaningful connections and create effective relationship building processes to grow your business.
As an outreach and development program, Women of Color is open to both WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprises and those not yet certified. This event is open to all; attendees do not have to be registered for the WBENC National Conference to attend but will need to register for this event using the link below.
Register Now
Session Speaker
Bofta Yimam is an Emmy® & Edward R. Murrow Award-Winning Journalist, DC-based National TV Correspondent, International Speaker and Business Owner. As a powerhouse speaker, Bofta has spoken to distinguished audiences in London, Africa and across the United States.
For over 13 years, Bofta has reported live on the morning and evening news for top TV outlets, including CBS National News, the Black News Channel and BBC.
Empowered to create her own lane, she later built a boutique marketing and visibility firm. From Story Design to Visibility in Today’s Digital World, Bofta’s high touch boutique helps you become your own personal brand and marketing magnet.
